


Take Five

by DollyPop



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Literal Sleeping Together, Sleep, Sleeping Together, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 17:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8853307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DollyPop/pseuds/DollyPop
Summary: Because even adults need nap-time every once in a while.





	

They’d been sitting in the same position for a solid few hours, just trying to grade their behemoth stack of papers. He realized, naturally, that accepting the offer of becoming a teacher, while receiving excellent benefits, also meant that he would have to undergo the heinous task of reading too many papers and having to assign them grades. And they brought back so many memories, too. He remembered what it was like as a student, not studying for his final exams.

As a professor, now, he was infinitely more grumpy at having to procrastinate at grading said final exams. And after he thought the damn things up, to boot. It was highway robbery, what they were paying him compared to how much work he put in. Granted, he mostly just brought in muted animal documentaries the rest of the year and voiced them over with various insults to his students, but he deserved better, damnit. He couldn’t feel his thumbs, he’d turned so many pages. 

At the very least, misery loved company, and Marie was in the exact same boat as he was. The two of them had, originally, sat down a solid half a room away from each other, but ended up, as always, drifting ever closer. Now, Marie was tucked against his side, her feet curled beneath her as she leaned onto him, and her breathing had been slowing down for the past few minutes.

Of course, she’d originally come over, hoping he would keep her from sleep. She’d been drifting trying to read all the essays. But, now, their papers ended up getting mixed together, she was even more sleepy in the safety of his embrace, and he only had one arm with which to grade bad short answers.

He was relatively certain she was drooling on him.

And, damnit, drooling shouldn’t be _cute_ , but it seemed that _everything_ Marie did, he found endearing. Including when she made sleepy snuffling noises and rubbed her face against his shirt. And after she’d told him to keep her awake. It would be a crime against the both of them to deprive her of such an adorable slumber. 

But, she did ask him to do so. And if he allowed her to drift off without so much as a warning that he was going to do so, she’d be upset when she awoke. 

“Marie,” he said, quietly, the fifth time in two minutes, he’s sure, and she jolted, slightly, as though shocking herself out of sleep.

Which was exactly what she was doing.

“HmmmI’mawake,” she mumbled, bringing one hand up to rub at her eye, and Stein rolled his own, nudging her back onto his shoulder. This was getting old.

“If you wish to rest, you should do so. I won’t keep you from sleeping anymore.”

“But we need to grade papers,” she yawned. “The kids are depending on us.”

“I’m sure they’ll manage,” he replied, easily, and he noted how Marie didn’t move, only seeing to snuggle into his embrace. She was warm, soft. He was sure that his bony shoulder was doing little to comfort her, but she only made a pleased sound as she curled in closer. “Are you in agreement?”

“No,” she replied, unconvincingly. “But you’re _warm_.”

“I have poor circulation.”

“I like you anyway,” she insisted, no doubt closing her eye. 

“Rest.”

“Ifyouinsist,” she slurred together, yawning.

Stein continued writing some random comment down on yet another leaf of paper, unsure as to whether he had shifted into Hebrew or German or if he was still writing in English. Frankly, he didn’t much care. They could decipher his comments if they so pleased. He wasn’t about to do it for them.

Though, damn, it was hard grading this shit with just one hand. The pauses he had to take just to turn the page, setting the pen down first, was driving him bonkers, but he wasn’t willing to move his other arm away from being draped over Marie. Being near her was infinitely more important than his job. His palm, so large in comparison to her, had settled upon her hip, managing, a long while ago, to ruck her shirt up so the slightest sliver of skin was exposed, and he’d been stroking over the same spot for a solid hour. 

Marie yawned once more, practically right in his ear as she gave up all pretenses of trying to do work. Instead, she wheeled in closer, trying to get comfortable.

“Frank,” she mumbled, and he hummed in response. “It’s not comfy.”

“Why?” he asked, absentmindedly.

“I keep scooting away accidentally. You’re far away.”

Stein turned to look at her. It was true. He could feel the push and pull of her own wheelie chair slowly drifting back and forth, wanting to migrate to the other side of the planet, seemingly, but tethered on by his arm. Stein thought for a moment before he pushed away from the desk and let his arm fall away from her. He could feel her confusion in her wavelength, but when she cracked her eye open, she saw him pat at his lap and almost instantly scrambled on, her chair kicking off to the wall as she planted her bottom right onto him, leaning her cheek against his chest and letting her legs dangle off the side.

“Better?” he asked, suddenly realizing that he had both hands free.

Marie didn’t answer for a moment, and when he looked down at her, he almost went crosseyed, getting little more than the top of her head.

“Hm?” he prodded.

“…kind of?”

“What’s missing?” he asked.

“You had your hand on my hip,” she informed him easily, and he arched a brow at her as she hid her face, no doubt blushing, and it had him crooking a creepy smile.

“Ah, yes. My apologies,” he said, letting one hand drop to her belly, fingers reaching to stroke at her hip once more. Marie sighed contently, wrapping her own arms around his neck. He could feel the flutter of her eyelashes from where his shirt exposed his throat, and his smile softened as he rested his cheek atop her head. She was so small, his Marie, so warm. Like a space heater. 

He was perpetually freezing, constantly in turtlenecks and long pants, lab coats and jackets, his circulation poor. But Marie was like a furnace, golden and glowing and hot. He felt her nuzzle against him, yawning once more, and he could feel their resonance even out, stretching as she started succumbing to sleep. Surely, she believed that he’d finish his stack of papers and then carry her upstairs, tucking her in. Perhaps he would even change her into her pajamas. They were so accustomed to each other, it was simply commonplace.

And she made the sweetest noise when she curled against him, her ear to his chest, mumbling something about his heart beating, the rhythm lulling her. How odd it was that he’d been called heartless before when Marie could hear it so clearly. The fact that she believed herself in the safest place when he was by her was the most flattering compliment anyone could have ever given him. Trusting him enough to hold her, be by her in sleep, carry her upstairs into their bed (THEIR bed), later.

Well, he couldn’t say that he’d ever expected it.

Regardless, dwelling on such warm, easy thoughts, soon enough, he dropped his pen, bringing his other hand to the top of her head, running his fingers through her hair, cradling her against him as his own eyes grew tired, lids heavy. Maybe Marie had the right idea in napping. And, besides, she was more important than papers. He’d rather use both arms to hold her, instead of half-assing it. He always did want to be closer to her. 

Moments like then, soft, careful moments no one believed him capable of or worthy to experience were the best fragments of time he could spend with her. When she was so trusting and lovely, loving, to allow him to hold her, to have not a speck of fear or hesitation in her soul. 

He was sure he’d get a cramp in his neck when he woke up, probably only a few hours later, and likely Marie would have want for a mattress, but at the moment, she was in his arms, on his lap, breathing deeply against him, and he couldn’t help but latch onto her soul, the two of them resonating so easily.

Besides, he so rarely got sleep in the past, never comfortable, never feeling safe. He figures maybe he has some catching up to do as he cradles her against him, completely lulled. 


End file.
